slovenia - CEP

Study visit in Slovenia – Strengthening Capacities in Financial Investigations in Montenegro

13. 10. 2025 | Montenegro - finance, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance

From 14 to 17 October 2025, the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) will host a study visit in Slovenia as part of the project “Strengthening Capacities in the Area of Financial Investigations in Montenegro.”

The project aims to enhance the institutional and operational capacities of Montenegrin authorities in conducting financial investigations, tackling organised crime, and combating money laundering. The study visit will bring together representatives from the Ministry of Interior and Police of Montenegro, the Embassy of Montenegro in Slovenia, and their Slovenian counterparts, including the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia, the Police, and other relevant institutions.

Through a series of workshops, meetings, and field visits in Ljubljana and Celje, participants will exchange experiences and best practices in the areas of financial investigations, asset recovery, anti-corruption measures, and inter-institutional cooperation. The visit will also focus on developing practical approaches and preparing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support future operational work.

This activity represents another important step in the long-term cooperation between Slovenia and Montenegro in strengthening the rule of law and improving the effectiveness of institutions in preventing and investigating financial crime.

The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia within the framework of Slovenia’s International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme (Slovenia Aid & Partnerships), in cooperation with the Slovenian Police and the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Slovenia.

Municipalities Lenart and Velika Polana sign memoranda on cooperation with communities Bibrka and Zymne

22. 9. 2025 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine

Today marked an important milestone in strengthening Slovenian–Ukrainian municipal cooperation. The municipalities of Lenart and Velika Polana officially signed memoranda of mutual cooperation with the Ukrainian communities of Bibrka (Lviv region) and Zymne (Volyn region). The signing coincided with the launch of two new two-week mentorship internships in Slovenia, designed to support knowledge exchange and joint solutions for recovery, reconstruction, and sustainable development in Ukraine.

The internships, running from 22 September to 3 October 2025, are part of the programme Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine and the broader TIPS4UA initiative. For the first time, two Slovenian municipalities will host Ukrainian delegations in parallel, reflecting the growing demand and importance of direct, practical cooperation between local communities.

Velika Polana is welcoming representatives from Zymne, with a programme focusing on cultural heritage protection, civil protection, and sustainable community initiatives. Lenart is hosting delegates from Bibrka, with exchanges planned around waste management, local development planning, and tourism.

The format of the visit will combine joint and individual sessions: the programme will open with three days of shared activities in Velika Polana, continue with separate internship weeks in each municipality, and conclude with three days of joint activities in Lenart. This structure allows for both tailored mentorship and collective reflection, ensuring that participants benefit from a wide range of Slovenian local experiences.

Building long-term partnerships

The memoranda signed today symbolise more than a formal agreement—they mark the beginning of long-term partnerships rooted in mutual trust, learning, and solidarity. The internships will not only provide Ukrainian representatives with practical insights into Slovenian local governance but also lay the foundation for joint projects in areas of recovery and reconstruction, sustainable economic development, and cultural cooperation.

The ‘Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine’ programme is funded by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships and implemented in partnership with ‘U-LEAD with Europe’.

Upcoming parallel mentorship visits in Velika Polana and Lenart

18. 9. 2025 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine

22 September – 3 October 2025, Velika Polana & Lenart – Preparations are underway for the second and third two-week internship visits within our programme “Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine” and the TIPS4UA initiative. For the first time, these mentorship visits will take place in parallel, hosted by two municipalities.

Representatives from Zymne (Ukraine) will take part in the mentorship visit in Velika Polana, while representatives from Bibrka (Ukraine) will participate in Lenart. The programme begins with three days of joint activities in Velika Polana and concludes with three days of shared sessions in Lenart. In between, each host municipality will welcome its Ukrainian partner to exchange experiences and good practices in cultural heritage protection, civil protection, waste management, and sustainable tourism.

The visits will officially open on 22 September in Velika Polana and close on 3 October in Lenart, marking an important step in strengthening cross-border partnerships and knowledge exchange.

The ‘Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine’ programme is funded by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships and implemented in partnership with ‘U-LEAD with Europe’.

Study visit Business Development and Promotion: Local and Regional Good Practice of Slovenia concludes

27. 11. 2024 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine

We have successfully concluded the study visit titled ‘Business Development and Promotion: Local and Regional Good Practice of Slovenia’, held from 19 to 28 November 2024 as a part of the Slovenian Aid project ‘Enhancing Slovenian Engagement in Ukraine: Economic and Social Sustainability of Regions and Cities’. From 20 to 28 November 2024, 20 representatives of Ukrainian local communities, business support organisations, and municipal associations supported by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme joined us in Slovenia to hear and learn more about Slovenian good practices on the topics of regional and local development, EU funding, EU accession, cooperation between businesses and municipalities, waste management and circular economy, New European Bauhaus and more.

First week of workshops and activities on regional development, circular economy and waste management, future of construction, EU funding and opportunities for Ukraine, and more organised by Pomurje Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Pomurje Technology Park, Kodila, Medicop d.o.o., Surovina d.o.o., Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Štajerska Region, Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute and InnoRenew CoE.

Activities in the second week focused on regional and local good practices for cooperation between business incubators and local communities, waste management and development of local circular economy practices, and opportunities for Ukrainian municipalities and companies through the Nazovni platform. The visit ended on 27 November, with participants taking part in the forum entitled ‘Business Revival and Reconstruction Opportunities in Ukraine’, organised in cooperation with the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia.

The ‘Enhancing Slovenian Engagement in Ukraine: Economic and Social Sustainability of Regions and Cities ’ project is funded by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships and implemented in partnership with ‘U-LEAD with Europe’. The U-LEAD with Europe programme is a partnership of the Ukrainian government and the European Union, and its member states Germany, Sweden, Poland, and Slovenia, to support the establishment of multi-level governance that is transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the Ukrainian population.

Signing of sister-cities agreement between Hrastnik and Drohobych

14. 11. 2024 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine

14 November, Drohobych, Ukraine – Today, we have marked a significant step in cooperation between Drohobych Urban Hromada and Municipality Hrastnik.

The signing was celebrated with a discussion on inter-municipal cooperation and a public discussion on the role of local communities and international partnerships in supporting Ukraine’s recovery and rebuilding efforts, with the signing and the accompanying activities in Drohobych organised under the auspices of the project “Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Ukraine”. The project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia (Slovenia Aid and Partnerships Programme) and implemented by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) in Slovenia in partnership with the EU Programme U-LEAD with Europe implemented by GIZ Germany.

Signing on behalf of Municipality Hrastnik was Mr Marko Funkl, Mayor Hrastnik. Slovenian Ambassador to Ukraine, H.E. Ms Mateja Prevolšek, and representatives of U-LEAD with Europe Programme also attended the activities marking this significant step in the cooperation between the two municipalities.

The partnership between Hrastnik and Drohobych dates to 2021, when the first contacts were made under the U-LEAD with Europe framework, with initial cooperation plans focused on youth, culture, and tourism. At the outbreak of war, Hrastnik’s citizens showed their solidarity by sending significant humanitarian aid directly to Drohobych. The ongoing project with CEP has deepened the partnership, allowing for the development of concrete project plans, including equipping a rehabilitation centre in Drohobych and providing essential medical equipment to the local hospital. The cooperation will also aim to collaborate on enhancing the local and regional tourism sector in Drohobych, which will further strengthen our partnership through new joint ventures. Becoming a sister city has strengthened cooperation on multiple levels for years.